Measuring dispenser for filling icecream containers and the like



June 6, 1950 K. P. HERBOLD NEASURING DISPENSER FOR FILLING ICE-CREAM CONTAINERS AND THE LIKE Filed April s, 194e Poema .im s, Isso MEASURING DISPENSER Fon FIILING ICE- cnEAM CONTAINERS AND 'IIIE LIKE Karl P. Herbold, Brooklyn, N. Y., assignor to Eskimo Pie Corporation, Bloomfield, N. J., a

corporation of Delaware Application April 5, 1946, Serial N0. 659,769

7 Claims.

The present invention relates to apparatus for dispensing measured quantities of a semi-solid material of varying consistency, and more particularly to a measuring dispenser for ice cream and similar substances.

Measuring dispensers for ice cream and the like are well known in the art. The customary automatic types are equipped with a measuring chamber which is periodically emptied by a displacement piston ejecting its contents into a Waiting container. In such prior devices, maintenance of a uniform filling level is rendered difiicult or impossible due to the varying density of the mass. In the commercial manufacture oi' ice cream, air is whipped into the ice cream mix in greater or less proportion according to the particular conditions of freezing. 'I'he mix expands in bulk to an extent which changes from time to time. If the ice cream is firm, the action of the piston in the measuring chamber will result in a further increase of its density; whereas if the mass is of light consistency and high overrun, the action of the piston will not materially increase the density of the ice cream since the latter will freely flow through the nozzle. To meet these fluctuations and illl the containers to a substantially uniform height, the known dispensers of this kind are provided with means for adjusting the stroke of the piston. The saine adjustment is being used for making changes in the quantity dispensed, e. g. when cups of different capacity are used. The adjustment of the piston stroke is cumbersome and requires suspension oi the operation of the machine.

An object of the invention is to provide an apparatus adapted to avoid the above disadvantages; to provide an apparatus for dispensing measured quantities of ice cream or the like substantially equal in volume as well as in density, and hence weight.

Another object is to provide convenient means for manually adjusting the density of the product dispensed by the apparatus.

A further object is to provide convenient means for manually adjusting the volume of the procluct to be dispensed by the apparatus.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description of an illustrative embodiment of the invention when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view, in section, of the principal parts of an ice cream dispenser accox-ding to the invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary section on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a schematic view in elevation showing means for reciprocating the piston in timed relation with reciprocation of the sleeve.

The apparatus as shown in the drawing comprises a housing I which may be made of metal or any other suitable material; the housing deiines a chamber 2 which is partly closed at its top portion by a threaded member or cover 3. A cylinder 4 is tightly fitted in the cover 3 and serves as a guide for a valve 5 Weighted down by its own head 5a. A bushing 6 is secured to the lower end of cylinder 4 to serve as a seat for valve 5. The body of valve 5 and its head 5a are pierced by a stem 1 which is threaded at its upper end and bears at its lower end a T-head 8. A knob 9 engages the threaded extremity of stem 1. The nut I0, engaging a threaded section of cylinder 4, serves as a seat for the valve head 5a and permits manual adjustment of the position of the valve 5.

The chamber 2 has an inlet port Il and opens into an outlet port i2 when the valve 5 is in raised position. The port l2 is formed by a ange ci cylinder 4 and may be connected, say, to an overflow duct D leading back to the freezer. The outlet i3 at the throat oi chamber 2 leads into a chamber M which is formed by the houning i and by the cover I5 fastened thereto in any convenient manner, such as by screws l.

A plunger il is secured to a rod it projecting through the cover i5. The handwheel i8, fas tened to the reduced section of rod i8, also engages a threaded portion of cover l5. A cup or container C may be placed underneath nozzle 2Q leading from the chamber lll into the open.

The chamber i4 further contains a sleeve 2l sliding freely in that chamber under the guide of an external member, for instance, a lever A. In the drawings lever A carries a stud 26 which is received in a slot formed in the lower leg oi a forked rock lever member 2l, a cam 28 rotated by shaft 29 serving to actuate the rock lever and, through lever 8, reciprocating the sleeve. Sleeve 2i contains an orice 22 which in its rightmost position registers with the outlet I3 of chamber 2. A piston 23 travels within the sleeve 2| under the impulse of a piston rod 24 which, in turn, may be actuated by any suitable power driven member. In Fig. 3 the outer end of the piston rod 24 carries a stud 30 entering the slotted end of a lever 3i, the latter being pivoted at 32. An eccentric 33 on shaft 34 imparts positive movements 3 to the piston rod and piston, return ofl these elements being effected by a spring 34.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows: Fresh ice cream from a supply tank (not shown) enters the chamber 2 through the inlet port I I under a mean pressuresof, say, pounds per square inch. If lthe mix is suiciently dense. the continuous ilow 'under pressure will lift the weighted valve 5 and cause some of the ice cream to return to the freezer via outlet I2. If, however, the ow is light or discontinuous, a further slight compression will take place in the chamber 2 as or before the ice cream is forced through small outlet I3 and orice 22 into the measuring chamber I4. Assume that the sleeve 2| is at this moment in its rightmost position, i. e. admitting ice cream into the chamber I 4 while barring its outflow through the nozzle 20. As an empty cup C comes to rest underneath nozzle 2l, the sleeve 2| is quickly retracted due to the reverse motion of the connecting lever A, thus shutting oi chamber 2 from the measuring chamber I4 and opening nozzle 20. Thereupon piston 23 will be moved forward by piston rod 24, ejecting the measured quantity of ice cream through the nozzle into the cup. The adjustable plunger I'I, operated by the handwheel I9, can be used to reduce the capacity of the chamber I 4 while simultaneously restricting the throttle area -of the nozzle 20. This has been shown by a broken line in Fig. 1. The nut I0 permits manual adjustment of theposition of the Weighted valve 5, which, however, has its lift limited by the T-head of the valve stem 1; in its top position the T-head 8 will abut against the bushing 6 without shutting ofi the iiow through the valve. Adjustment of the lift is possible by means of the the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

` What is claimed is l. In an apparatus for dispensing a measured quantity of a substance of varying density in combination, a measuring chamber, a receiving chamber, said measuring chamber provided with a discharging nozzle, a plunger controlling the effective volume of the measuring chamber and4 simultaneously changing the cross-sectional area of the outlet of the discharge nozzle, means :for adjusting said plunger, a reciprocating sleeve slidably arranged Within the said measuring chamber, said reciprocating sleeve having an in- -let port positioned for registration, with the outlet port, leading from the said receiving chamber towards the said measuringchamber, said sleeve dimensioned so as to close rthe nozzle of the said measuring chamber when its inlet port registers with the said outlet port. a piston arranged within the said sleeve adapted to expel a measured quantity of the substance, means for reciprocating said piston and means for reciprocating said sleeve, concurrently with the said piston, said sleeve being retracted prior to initiating the dispensing stroke of said'piston, a duct supplying the substance from the supply tank to the said receiving chamber, an overflowl duct connecting the receiving chamber, with the said supply tank, and a weighted control valve inserted within the said overflow duct, said valve being manually adjustable, having a vertical stem, piercing the valve body, a T-shaped head being secured to the lower end of the stem and a' manually rotatable knob being secured to the threaded upper end of said stem.

knob 9 engaging the threaded end of valve stem 1.

The handwheel I9, nut I0, and knob 9 enable the operator to control in convenient manner the now of ice cream without interfering with the piston 23. The weighted valve 5, operated This density may be varied with Knob 9 may be used .to immobilize the valve in a desired position.

It is generally' advisable to adjust these controls so as to provide a constant opening when the ice cream is "heavy or of major density, valve 5 being closed when the ice cream is light, i. e. has abundant overrun.

If it is desired to reduce Ythe capacity of the measuring chamber, as for the purpose of lling a series of containers of smaller capacity, this can be readily accomplished by means of plunger I1 and handwheel I 9. At the same time, the density of the ice cream will be increased due to restriction of the nozzle 20. If this be undesirable, the mass can be restored to its original density, or any other consistency, by adjustment of nut I0, since a raising of the valve body 5 permits greater overow and reduces the pressure in chamber 2. In this manner both the weight and the volume of the mix can be controlled and maintained at any value desired.

While the invention is of particular usefulness in the manufacture and distribution of ice cream,v

it will be understood that the apparatus may be employed for dispensing other substances; also that numerous modiiications adapting it for other uses are possible without departing from 2. In an apparatus for dispensing measured quantities of substances of varying density, in combination, a chamber, said chamber being provided with an outlet, displacement means slidably arranged within the said chamber, feeding means for lling said chamber, return means for removing overow substance from the said charnber, said return means being adjustably controlled, and a, loaded control valve operative associated with said return means.

3. In an apparatus for dispensing measured quantities of substances of varying density, in combination, a measuring chamber, adjusting means for changing the eective volume of said Y chamber, a piston slidably arrangedwithin that measuring chamber, a receiving chamber intermittently communicating with said measuring j chamber, and a return d uct for the removal of overflow substance from said measuring chamber.

4. In an apparatus for dispensing measured quantities of substance of lvarying density, in combination, a measuring chamber provided with an outlet, a plunger for changing the effective volume of said measuring chamber, a piston for expelling the content of said measuring chamber, a return duct for the removal of overilow substance from said measuring chamber and a weighted adjustable control valveinserted in said return duct.

5. An apparatus for dispensing measured quan-v tities of ice cream comprising a measuring chamber provided with a discharge nozzle, a discharging piston slidably arranged within said measuring chamber, a plunger for changing the effective volume of said measuring chamber, means for manually adjusting the position of said plunger, a receiving chamber intermittently communicating with the said measuring chamber, and an overilow duct connecting said receiving chamber with a supply tank.

6. An apparatus for dispensing measured quantities of ice cream comprising, in combina-- tion, a measuring chamber provided with a discharge nozzle, a discharging piston slidably arranged within the said measuring chamber, a plunger for changing the effective .volume of said chamber, a receiving chamber connected with the said measuring chamber, means for intermittently connecting said two chambers, and an overflow duct connecting the said receiving chamber with the supply tank.

7. An apparatus .for dispensing measured quantities of icc cream, comprising a measuring chamber provided with a discharge nozzle, a receiving chamber having an outlet port connecting with the said measuring chamber, a plunger for changing the effective volume of said measuring chamber, a reciprocating sleeve slid- REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 845,572 Peck Feb. 26, 1907 849,735 Henlings Apr. 9, 1907 2,004,161 Rausel June 11, 1935 2,229,476 Reichle Jan. 21, 1941 

